The invention described herein pertains to an electric fan, and more specifically an electric fan which screws into a light socket. Many bathrooms have exhaust fans to help prevent steam from accumulating and fogging up a minor. However, exhaust fans are often insufficient, leaving a hot bathroom and foggy minor. Table fans take up valuable counter space and can be difficult to appropriately position for cooling a user and circulating air over a mirror. To solve these problems a small, effective fan which does not occupy counter space is needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,186,674 to Otto G. Hildebrand et al. discloses an adapter for converting an electric fan to be powered by a light socket. The disclosed invention is designed to sit in a vertical lamp stand and hold a stationary fan housing with rotating blades. The invention specifically describes a fan with a stationary housing being held in an upward facing direction. Additionally, this invention does not provide a separate on/off switch independent of attached power source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,467 to Keene P. Dimick discloses a defogging device to be supported and powered by an electrical light socket. The device provides a stream of warm air over the surface of an adjacent mirror to assist in reducing fog. This device is not adjustable, preventing it from providing air flow to a person using the mirror. Additionally, this device only provides a stream of warm air which is incapable of cooling a person after a hot shower.
Yet another attempt at providing a fan powered by an electrical light socket is disclosed in design patent Des. 283,156 to Peirgiorgio Mandelli et al. This patent discloses a design for a fan having a non-adjustable base which screws into a light socket. The base of this fan is not adjustable, allowing it to only face directly away from a light socket. Additionally, there is no fan blade housing to assist in directing the air flow and preventing objects from contacting the fan blades.
Although the various devices observed may fulfill their individual, particular objectives, each device suffers from one (1) or more disadvantage or deficiency related to design or function. Whether taken singly, or in combination, none of the observed devices disclose the specific arrangement and construction of the instant invention.